Electrical-conductor terminal connector



LMLQZ EK Dec, 26, 1922.,

H. B. SHERMAN ET AL.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR TERMINALGONNECTOR.

gnva'nfo 0 HLED AUG-6, 1920.

Patented Deco 2(5, 1922..

U N ll E D S T A T E S HOWARD B. SHERMAN AND FREDERICK HANLAN, 0F BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN;

SAID HANLAN ASSIGNOR '10 SAID SHERMAN.

ELECTRICAL-CONDUCTOR TERMINAL CONNECTOR.

Application filed. August 6, 1920.

To all w ham it may con cern 'Be it known that we, HowAIn) B. SHER- MAN and Fnnnmucn HANLAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical-Conductor Terminal Connectors; and we hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact; description thereof, reference being had to the accon'ipanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel electrical terminal connector for spark plugs. Its objects are to provide a' very simple connector, which can be handled without danger of shock; can be quickly applied to the plug, and readily removed therefrom; will enable the operator to readily test the spark before connecting the plugs; will make excellent electrical contact; and will not be easily dislodged by jarring, I

In particular the invention is an improvement upon the type of connector shown 1n application Serial Number 394,660, filed July 8, 1920, and is especially adapted for use on motors in which the spark plugs are set at an angle.

One practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described; and the teatures and combinations of parts for which protection is desired are set forth in the claims. 4

Fig. 1 is "a side view of the terminal connector engaged with a spark plug.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section showing the interior construction of the connector.

The terminal connector as shown consists practically of but three pieces, to wit-a body, preferably made of hard rubber, bakelite, or like good electrical insulating substance; a fiat spring contact member; and a screw which fastens the conductor to the body, secures the contact spring in position in the body, and establishes a good electrical contact between the contact spring and the conductor.

The body 1 is approximately cylindrical in exterior appearance and may be of any suitable form and as shown has a socket i in one end, extending approximately half Serial No. 401,646.

way through the body, for the reception of and engagement with the terminal 53 of an electrical device, such as a spark plug P, which may be of any suitable construction.

In the other end of the body is an inclined socket 1 which extends nearly to the socket 1, but is separated therefrom by an interior wall or partition in the body. The socket 1 is for the reception of an ordinary insulated electrical conductor C.

In the end of the body adjacent the socket 1 is a threaded socket l for the reception of a screw 3. This socket 1 extends to and slightly past the inner end of the socket 1 and communicates with the inner end of the socket l as at 1. A small bore 1 extends from the lower end of the socket 1 toward the lower end of the socket 1 opening into the upper end of socket 1, so that the bared end 0 of the conductor C can be inserted into the socket 1 beneath the screw 3, when the latter is sufficiently backed out of socket 1 A notch or channel 1 is preferably formed in the side wall of the socket 1 near its outer end, and below the socket 1". for the accommodation of the lower end of a spring contact member 2. which is preterably formed of a strip of metal and has its inner end 2 bent at practically right angles and adapted to be entered into the bottom of the socket ,1, when the spring is inserted in the socket- 1. Fig. 3), the inner end of the spring 2 lying in the bottom of the socket 1-. This spring contact member lies within and parallel with socket 1 and is long enough to extend from socket 1 to the outer end of the socket 1 The said spring is bent near its lower end as at 2", such bend projecting into the bore of the socket l and the lower end 2 of the spring is bent outwardly and lies within the recess or notch 1.

When the parts are assembled. as shown in Fig. 3, the end 2 of the spring lies in the bottom of the socket 1 and under the extremity of the bared end 0 of the conductor inserted through the socket 1 and bore 1 and into the lower end of the socket 1. so that when the screw 3 is sent home it binds the bared end 0 of the conductor upon the end 2* of the spring contact member and confines both the connector and contact lower end of the socket 1 member to the body and causes them to closely contact each other as in Fig. When the spring 2 is thus secured in the body it will lie in a plane parallel with the socket 1 and its bend 2 will project into the said socket and partially obstruct the same, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that when the terminal-S of a spark plug or the like is entered into the socket 1 the part of the terminal S entering into the socket will contact with the bend 2 of the spring, compressing the spring, and the latter engaging the threads of the terminal S will prevent casual disengagement of the terminal. connector from the spark plug and make good electrical contact therewith; T he spring member 2 is first inserted into the bore 1 and its end 2* entered into the To permit this to be readily and effectively done the body 1 may be provided wit-ha hole 1 extending into the socket 1 opposite the lower end of the socket 1 so that a wire could be inserted through the hole 1 to hold the upper end of the spring 2 in engagement with the end of the socket 1 after, or while the bared end 0 of the conductor is inserted through the socket 1 and into the lower end of the socket-1 and while the screw 3 is screwed home to clamp the end 0 of the conductor onto the bent end 2* of the spring memher and bind the same firmly together. When screw 3 binds the bared end 0 of the conductor and the end 2* of the spring contact member 2 in position in the body, it ensures an excellent positive electrical contact therebetween.

Such a terminal connector can be readily applied to the terminal S of a spark plug by simply engaging the socket 1 of the body with the terminal S (see Fig. 1) and the bend 2 of spring 2 engaging such terminal retains the connector securely in place; while permitting it to be readily disengaged by simply pulling the body off of the terminal S.

The operator can readily test the circuit before applying the terminal connector to the plug by slipping thesocket 1 of the connector over the terminal S until the latter contacts with the end of spring 2, and observing whether a spark is produced or not.

Having described our invention, what we claim is: .v

1. A terminal connector comprising a body having sockets; a spring locking member within one of the sockets and adapted to engage .and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device when the terminal is entered intosuch socket; the other socket being adapted to receive the bared end of an electrical conductor which when inserted therein contacts with the said spring locking member;

and means to bind the contacting ends of the electrical conductor and the spring member within the body.

2. A terminal connector comprising a body having a hole, and a plurality of sockets; a spring locking member in one socket having its inner end bent to enter the hole, said spring being adapted to engage and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device when suchterminal is entered into the socket; and the other socket being adapted to receive an electrical conductor the bared end of which enters the hole; and means securing the contacting bared end of the conductor and the end of the spring member in the body, substantially as described.

3. A terminal connector comprising a body having a hole and a plurality of sockets; a sprin locking member in one socket and projecting into the hole, said member being adapted to engage and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device when the terminal is entered into such socket; the other socket being adapted to receive an electrical conductor, the bared end of which is entered into the hole; and a screw tapped into the body adjacent the conductor and adapted to bind the contacting ends of the electrical conductor and the spring together within the body and fasten them to the body. v

4. A terminal connector comprising a body having a socket in each end and a threaded socket adjacent and communicating with the inner ends of theother sockets,

a spring locking member within one socket; and having its inner end .bent to enter the.

bottom of the threaded socket, said spring being adapted to engage and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device entered into the first socket; the other socket being adapted to receive the bared end of an electrical conductor whose extremity enters the threaded socket; and a screw in said threaded socket securing the bared end of the conductor and the end of the spring member in the body, substantially as described.

5. A terminal connector comprising a body having a socket in one end for engagement with an electrical terminal; and having an inclined socket near its other end to receive the bared end of a conductor; a spring member in the first socket adapted to engage and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device when entered into such socket; said inclined socket being adapted to receive the bared end of an electrical conductor; and means for securing the bared end of the conductor and the end of the spring member in the body, substantially as described.

6. A terminal connector comprising a I body having a socket in one end for engage- Me ea? ment with an electrical terminal; and having a second socket near its other end, and also a threaded socket adjacent the second socket; a spring member in the first socket having its inner end entered into the said threaded socket and adapted to engage and form electrical contact With the terminal of an electrical device when such terminal is entered into the said first socket; said second socket being adapted to receive the bared end of an electrical conductor Whose extremity enters the threaded socket, and a screw in said threaded socket securing the bared end of the conductor and the end of the spring member in the body, substantially as described.

7. A terminal connector comprising a body having a socket in one end for engagement with an electrical terminal and having an inclined socket near its other end; and a threadedsocket adjacent the inclined socket; a spring member in the first socket having its inner end entered into the said threaded socket, and adapted to engage and form electrical contact With the terminal of an electrical device when such terminal is entered into the said first socket; said inclined socket adapted to receive the bared end of an electrical conductor Whose extremity enters the threaded socket; and a screw in said threaded socket binding the bared end of the conductor and the end of the spring member together'and securing them in the body, substantially as described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We afix our signatures.

HOWARD B. SHERMAN. FREDERICK HANLAN. 

